May Festival and Events Roundup

The sun is shining, the air is warm. Whatever the calendar says, this is British summertime. And the festivals for this month reflect that. From outdoor music festivals to top equestrian events. And of course, this is the lusty month of May of course, so there are several heritage festivals that harken back to pagan fertility rites and making games.

Weather Tip: May can produce some of the UK's best weather. It is often very warm, sunny and dry. But bring those layers anyway. Britain is an island with an island climate - plan on chilly evenings and mornings.

Music and Peforming Arts Festivals

• Cheltenham Jazz Festival - International Jazz stars in the Cotswolds.
• Brighton Festival - Three weeks of celebration - music, art, drama, parades, nightlife
• Bury Festival - A bit of everything in Heritage East Anglian Town
• Shetland Folk Festival - Old fashioned hootenany in the islands
• Glyndebourne Festival Opera Elegant opera on a country estate
• Moor & Coast Festival Folk music in Whitby, North Yorkshire.

Heritage Festivals

• Downton Cuckoo Fair - Traditional village fete
• Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival - Scottish dance and traditional music competition.
• The Rochester Sweeps - Morris dancing and revival of chimney sweep festival
• May Day Festivals - The rites of Spring
• Gloucester Cheese-Rolling and Wake An afternoon of crazy people chasing a Double Gloucester Cheese down a very steep hill.

Food and Drink

Helensburgh and Loch Lomond Real Ale Festival

Two-day beer and music blowout in the Trossachs.

Sports

• North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival
• Race meetings at York Racecourse
• BMW PGA Golf Tournament - Major fixture on the European Pro Golf Tour
• Chatsworth International Horse Trials - Horse show of international champions
• The Royal Windsor Horse Show Equestrian entertainments and competitions in the Queen's back yard.
• Badminton Horse Trials For equestrian's, a world famous three-day event

Literature and Fine Arts

• Harrogate Antiques & Fine Art Fair - Northern England's top antiques show, for serious collectors and Antiques Roadshow fans.
• Daphne Du Maurier Festival - Celebrating the author of Rebecca in her favorite Cornish town
• Hay Festival - The UK's biggest book party.

Gardens and Flowers

• The Bath Flower Show Flower Art in the Park
• RHS Kew Gardens Woodland Wonders Traditional woodland crafts and lore, archery and Morris men.
• Chelsea Flower Show - The greatest flower show on earth

Hobbyists and Anoraks

• Bristol International Comic Expo - Everything for the comic book writer, artist, reader and collector
• The Weymouth Beach Kite Festival Kites, air sculptures, workshops and fireworks on the beach
• Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival - Malt Whisky and highland culture for connoisseurs.